A Little Mocha Madness

Well, I’ve been talking about my morning mochas (which I look forward to pretty much every morning) for awhile so I figured it was time to give it up step by step.

I start with espresso. If I’m in a hurry I use instant espresso with about 1/4 cup boiling water.

If I have more time I grind the espresso beans and then brew it on the stove top in this cool little thing with 1/2 cup water.

It gurgles when it’s brewing and then a couple of minutes later you have this.

While the espresso is brewing I put 1-2 tablespoons of my FAVORITE cocoa powder in a mug (or travel mug) and a couple of packets of Splenda.

(10 calories per tablespoons, super dark and rich and has iron. Mmmm….)

I actually just signed up for the “subscribe and save” for this on Amazon because I love it so much. he he! I add the freshly brewed espresso to the cocoa and Splenda.

Then I put 1 1/2 cups vanilla soymilk and/or unsweetened vanilla almond milk in a measuring cup in the microwave for 3:33 minutes. (Random right? I think it’s Andrew’s fault. He always does the same number- 2:22, 4:44, etc. He has me doing it to. In fact, if I’m microwaving the water for instant espresso I do it for 1:11. Problems.) Anyway………… I LOVE Soy Slender and I also like the Costco Organic Vanilla Soymilk (30 calories more per 1 cup serving). My favorite almond milk is Unsweetened Vanilla Almond Breeze, but it’s a little pricey and Trader Joe’s version is a little cheaper. They also sell the Silk brand almond milk at Costco (BEST price) so I get it there sometimes too.

Then… I use my handy dandy frother. Look what it can do.

How cool is that? I add it to the espresso cocoa mix and stir.

FABULOUS!!! If I’m feeling extra special I add a little fat free Rediwhip on top.

On to another topic- I’m not feeling too hot right now. I’ve been feeling a little puffy all day. I ate one too many of these last night. (While watching the Biggest Loser- nice.)

Then decided to weigh myself at the gym tonight after teaching my spinning class. That was NOT a good idea. I’ve been eating A LOT lately (which I got away with for a couple of years while I was pregnant with twins, breastfeeding, teaching a ton of fitness classes and training for a marathon). The amount of calories I could consume was insane. Right now I’m not really training for any big upcoming races so I’m not running as much (although I am still teaching a lot). I’m a healthy eater, but my occasional splurges get a little out of control sometimes. I really need to get back into a balanced pattern of eating. I usually live by the 80/20 rule and I like to indulge every once in awhile, but I think I’ve been indulging a little too much lately. (Oops.) I haven’t been getting enough sleep either so I crave more carbs and sweets. Grrr….. And when my body doesn’t get enough rest (sleep wise and exercise wise), it holds on to everything (and I mean everything).

So……time to get back on track. I’m carrying about 7 extra pounds above my “healthy, happy weight”. I need to make a few adjustments to my diet (and amount of sleep). I’m not a big fan of counting every single calorie (been there, done that), but I AM a fan of balanced eating, making healthy choices and staying far away from processed food. I just need to refocus a little bit. I know it might take a little time, but I need to be conscious in my everyday decisions that I’m working towards a goal to lose these 7 pesky pounds. Most importantly, I just want to feel a little better. I know how great I feel at a certain weight and how just a couple of extra pounds (or my favorite jeans or workout pants being a little too snug) can make such a big difference in how I feel physically and mentally. I might not lose all 7, I’ll be happy with 5. I’ll shoot for getting there by our anniversary (July 31). I’m not in a big hurry and it’s better to lose it slowly and be able to maintain it than to lose weight quickly, shock your body, and then gain it back (yep, done that before too).

Sorry for the rambling. I just had to share where my head is at right. Maybe there’s some other people in the same place. And now, to finish on a lighter note…………… a few Kitty hugs

and a basket on a head???? (I had NOTHING to do with this- I just caught him in the act.)

Comments

Your twins are just adorable, I’ve been reading your post and I just love looking at their photos. I found you from the foodie blog roll and I’d love to guide Foodista readers to your site. I hope you could add this espresso pot widget at the end of this post so we could add you in our list of food bloggers who blogged about using an espresso pot ,Thanks!

I know this is totally random and a really late comment, but I was curious about your mocha recipe so I clicked over and had to comment on your microwave habit. I read Adam Corola’s recent book and he also uses 1:11 or 2:22 etc when microwaving. He said its a time saver, since you don’t have to move you finger to the next number or spend time searching for the nber you want. Maybe that’s your husband’s reasoning too? 🙂

Hi Kristin! Love, Love, Love reading your posts. I have just started following your blogs and websites, which is why some of the links have taken me to posts this far back. This one caught my attention, though, as you brought to light something I deal with daily, which is the calorie counting. I consider myself a runner, although with a full-time job, my working out doesn’t look nearly like yours. But you eat a ton! And I love it! I calorie count like a crazy person to the point it consumes my life, and I honestly struggle with feeling like I can actually eat like that and have even come to wear myself down energy wise because I’m not eating enough to sustain a running/energetic lifestyle, and it just seems so hard to reverse. How many calories do you consume daily?? I love all of your recipes, as I too eat super healthy and enjoy it! I just think the restricting and calorie counting makes it not as much fun for me as for you haha. Just trying to get a ballpark of where I need to be nutrition wise to train/run/etc. thanks for the help!

Oh man, this is a super old post Rebecca. 🙂 To be honest I don’t count calories anymore. It’s too tiring and consuming for me. I don’t do well with it. There are some great websites out there though that help. I love Myfitnesspal.com. (I think that’s the link.) It’s all about finding out what works for you. I wish it was easy to stay on track though once we find what works, huh?

[…] I tried out the Lean Shake™ last week as my afternoon snack. The directions say to mix 2 scoops with water. I mixed one scoop with unsweetened vanilla almond milk and added a scoop of instant espresso. […]

[…] care package. Um…. yeah. I’m in heaven. That Café Verona is one of my favorites to use for a mocha and I haven’t tried that Blonde yet, but think it would make a great iced coffee afternoon treat. […]

[…] I was smart I’d go back to my routine of making espresso cubes like last summer or just use instant espresso. Oh well. My ice cube trays are being used for more important things like my low calorie ice cream. […]

Welcome!

I'm Kristin. I'm a marathon running, fitness instructing, PE teaching, kitchen experimenting, busy working mom of twin boys living life's journey one day, one race and one bite at a time. [Read More …]

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I am not a registered dietician, medical expert, or doctor. I am an ACE Certified Personal Trainer and Group Fitness Instructor. Please remember that my nutritional tips and advice are from my own personal experiences, knowledge and views. It is only in my scope of practice as a certified professional to give basic nutritional information using the USDA food guide pyramid. I am simply a fitness professional with a big appetite and love for food. I do not post every meal that I eat.

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